Linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman spoke to the media for the first time at OTAs on Monday. First, he spoke about what attracted him to the Chargers’ job.
[Head] Coach [Jim] Harbaugh. I mean, I loved playing for him when I was in San Fran. We all were sad when he left. I took a hiatus and took five years away from football. I couldn’t get it out of my head. I didn’t want to jump back into it so fast, so I went to the college level. We had some showings in San Fran where Jim showed up. I would throw it across his ear and see what he says. He was like, ‘Yeah.’ No hesitation. I got myself prepared and started in that year-and-a-half at Maryland, just started really understanding the coaching side and being prepared for when the opportunity presented itself. I’m just blessed, man. Blessed to be here. Blessed for him to believe in me to do this job. I’m attacking it like I should.
Bowman expanded upon his profound respect for Jim Harbaugh and their relationship dating back to the San Francisco days:
I left it all out there on the field for him. Just his pre-game speeches and how he prepared us throughout the week, you just knew who you were coming to work for. Being able to understand his message and get his nod, his approval on how I played, it’s my job to get guys to play that way and do the things that he expects us to do — or the players to do, I should say. I think I’m going to that. I think I fit right in. The guys just enjoy everything that we have going on right now.
The new Chargers’ linebackers coach also spoke extensively about rookie Junior Colson and how he’s fit into the team up to this point:
Let me tell you about Junior (Colson), okay? We’re in meetings and he’s answering every single question. We knew that when we drafted him that he’s going to be familiar with the defense. Just to have a young guy speak so confidently and see the heights that the other young guys can reach, he’s there to settle them down and really say, ‘Hey, Coach is talking fast, but it’s just this.’ Just to have a guy like that who understands the scheme and just really needs to learn how to be a pro — I think that’s where I come in. Just teach them how to be a pro. Teaching him certain things that he can do in certain defensive calls. When you can kind of take a gamble here and there and just off the field. Understanding your body has to last you 17 weeks in the regular season and so forth in the playoffs. Just getting him used to playing so many games, meeting so much and doing the little things. Not assuming that you have it already because you were in the system, but doing the extra work. I think that’s going to be the evolution of his game — learning how to be a pro.
Bowman would go on to say he thinks it’s too early to tell if Colson would be getting the green dot at some point. However, he did say that the rookie obviously has a “step forward” in learning the scheme,
Bowman also had high praise for Denzel Perryman in his return to the Chargers, mentioning that he “plays the right way”. He also noted that he’s set an example for Daiyan Henley and Colson.
He’s a 10-year vet and he’s doing the things that a lot of 10-year guys that I played with wouldn’t do. He’s approaching it the right way and we’re glad to have him.